Propositions and Principles of Divinity Disputed, Section 76
PRINCIPLES TOVCHING THE POWER AND AVTHORITY OF THE CHVRCH. LXXVI.
HAVING DONE WITH THE ECCLESIAſticall functions: it remaineth, that wee nowe ſhewe what, and how great the power and authoritie thereof is to be accounted.
1 BVt before we come vntounto the particuler handling hereof, there are two things eſpecially to be conſidered: the one, that this whole power is ſpirituall, that is, directlie belonging vntounto the conſcience; and therefore, that is ſeuered from the power and authoritie of the Magiſtrate, by the ſubſtauntiall forme and proper ende thereof: The other, that it is not a ſoueraigne authoritie, neither conſiſting in their will vntounto whome it is committed, but onelie an Adminiſtratorie poweer, contained within certaine boundes and lawes preſcribed by GOD, the onelie Lorde and Lawe-giuer of his Churche, vppon whome alone alſo, and not vppon men, the force and efficacie therereof dooth depend.
That whole Lordlie power therefore, which both the Biſhoppe of Rome, and the reſt of the falſe Biſhops hauehave attributed vntounto them ſelues, togeather with the temporall Gouernement alſo, which they hauehave wreaſted, and (which is more intollerable,) the rule which they hauehave vſurped ouer the conſciences of men, is not a power ordained by God: but a tyrannie inuented by Sathan and his inſtruments, for the diſturbing of mans ſocietie, and the ouerthrowe of the true power of the Church.
2 This true power of the Church, is partlie ordayned againſt Sathan, and the reſt of the enemies of our ſaluation: namelie, ſinne, the world, and death, which are ſubject vntounto him; and it dooth partlie belong vntounto that order and degree, which the Lord hath appointed for the gouernment of his owne houſe, that is, his Church here vppon earth.
3 The former of theſe two, is common to the whole Churche, whereby it commeth to paſſe, that the ſame, leaning vponupon the power of GOD, doth preuaile againſt the gates of Hell: and it is alſo beſtowed (although not in the ſame meaſure, but as it pleaſeth the holie Ghoſt to giuegive it) vppon euerie particular member of the Church: whereby it commeth to paſſe, that the holy Ghoſt in them dooth tread Sathan vnderunder feete, reſiſt the fleſhe, beare rule ouer ſinne: yea, & at the length, vtterlie deſtroy and ouercome death.
4 Neere vntounto this, is that other extraordinary & particular force, whereby the Lord indued his, when and whom hee thought good, with the power of caſting out Diuels in the name of the Lord, and with other gifts of woorking miracles.
5 The other, Eccleſiaſticall power, which concerneth the order appointed for the Gouernement of the Church, is defined to bee that power, which is giuen vntounto them that are in the function of the Miniſterie, ouer thoſe whoſe ſaluation they are, in reſpect of their calling, to promote; of this ſort, are Paſtors and Elders called alſo Gouernors, of whome wee hauehave ſpoken in the former ſort of Principles.
6 This whole power conſiſteth in three points; namelie, in teaching, in appointing of lawes, and in cenſuring.
7 The right and authoritie of teaching, not what they thincke good, but that onelie which the Lorde hath written by the Prophets and Apoſtles, and in the publicke adminiſtration of thoſe Sacraments, which, and in thoſe rites wherein, hee commaunded them to be adminiſtred, dooth belong onelye vntounto thoſe Paſtours that are rightlie called, as long as the ordinarie vocation dooth remaine.
8 Now this authoritie, euerie faithfull Paſtor is bound to practiſe: not onelie vniuerſallie amongeſt his flocke, but euen towardes euerie particular ſheepe thereof, by inſtructing, comforting, and correcting them, according as their neceſsitie requireth: as the Lord in EZECHIELL, and the Apoſtle himſelfe, by his owne example dooth teach vsus. Act. 20.
9 The ſtrength and efficacie of this power is ſhewed, in that it is Metaphorically expreſſed by the names of Keyes, of ſhutting and opening: and properlie vttered by remiſſion and retaining of ſinnes, and it is alſo of that great moment, that that is ſaied to bee looſed and remitted: and on the other-ſide, to bee ſhutte and retained in Heauen, which is opened and remitted, and in like ſort ſhut and retained in earth.
10 Yet is not that by this meanes transferred to men, which is onelyonly proper vntounto God, and to our ſauiour Chriſt Ieſus, vntounto whome alone all judgement is committed: but heereby is ment, that that is ratified with GOD, which is rightly done in his name by his Paſtor, that is choſen thervnto, or rather that God is the authour of that which hee doth by his Miniſters, declaring remiſsion of ſinnes, vntounto thoſe that beleeue the Goſpell, and condemnation vntounto the vnbeleeuers, according vntounto that ſaying: [Hee that heareth you, heareth me: hee that deſpiſeth you, deſpiſeth me, he that beleeueth ſhalbe ſaued; hee that beleeueth not, is alreadie condemned.]
The Romiſh Prelate therefore, and his falſe Cleargie, who doe falſlie beare the world in hand, that the keies and power of opening and ſhutting of heauen is committed vntounto them, do abuſe their Miniſterie, and according vntounto the ſaying of Chriſt, (let them alone) they are blind leaders of the blind.
11 The other part of this Eccleſiaſticall gouernment, being committed to Paſtors and Elders, which wee ſaid to conſiſt in appointing of lawes, is ſo to be vnderſtood, not as though it were lawfull in Chriſtian Religion, to impoſe lawes vponupon the conſciences, as it is in the Ciuill pollicie, to ordaine and to abrogate ciuill lawes and conſtitutions; the which point, the Apoſtle expreſlie teſtifieth, not to be permitted vntounto the very Angels. For we hauehave but one law-giuer, namely, the onelyonly Sonne, being the alone interpretour of his Fathers will, and the head of the Church, who hath moſt fully opened the whole counſell of our ſaluation, togeather with the whole worſhippe due vntounto him, and hath both by his own mouth, and alſo by the Apoſtles, both by preaching and by writing, moſt perfectly ſet down the gouernement of his owne houſe, euen vntounto the ende of the world, wherevnto nothing is to bee added or detracted, and wherein it is vnlawfull to change one tittle.
12 That matter therefore, remaining whole and ſound in thoſe points, which God hath commanded concerning his worſhippe, and the duties of a Chriſtian life: it followeth, that the Church hath power to enact lawes, onlie touching thoſe thinges which belong vntounto comelines and order, and appertaine vntounto the mutuall agreement of the faithfull, in the outwarde worſhip of God; in conſideration of which matters, ſeeing by reaſon of the diuers and ſometimes repugnant circumſtances, (the Church beeing now gathered out of all nations,) they cannot bee the one and the ſame at all times and places: It followeth, that it is free and lawfull, either to ordaine or to abrogate them, as it ſhall appeare, that the neceſsitie or commodity of the Church doth require the ſame.
13 But heere ſome thinges are eſpecially to bee verie carefullie taken heede vntounto: Firſt, that the conſcience bee not enſnared hereby, as though theſe lawes were anie part of Gods worſhip. For the Lorde doth condemne all will-worſhip, as being himſelfe the onlie Law-giuer of the conſcience.
14 Secondly, that vnprofitable, curious, and ridiculous rites, be not appointed in ſtead of graue, comely, and profitable order.
15 Thirdly, that the true and pure worſhip of God, bee not hindred, much leſſe oppreſſed by the multitude of ſuch lawes.
16 Fourthly, that eſpecial care be had, that theſe things by a falſe pretence of Religion, grow not into ſuperſtition: much more, that they degenerate not into impietie: and if this come to paſſe, that they be either preſently amended, or rather vtterly abolliſhed.
17 Now that men hauehave long ſince greatly offended in theſe matters, experience alaſſe, and the lamentable deformity of the church, doth make it true and manifeſt; whereas the true vſe both of the word, & alſo of the Sacraments, hath bene not onelyonly depraued, but euen turned into open Idolatrie.
All the will-worſhip then, that hath beene brought, either into the Weſt by that Romiſh Prelat, and his falſe Biſhops, or into the Eaſt Churches, by the Patriarkes of Greece: we doe at once condemne.
And we affirme, that thoſe Chriſtian Magiſtrats hauehave doone well, who by the procurement and aduiſe, of the true ſeruants of God, hauehave cut off out of their Dominions, many vnprofitable ceremonies, (and altogether abolliſhed the vngodly and ſuperſtitious rites) how ancient ſo euer they were.
We doe on the contrary ſide auouch, that they hauehave ſmally regarded the good of the Churches within their dominions, who either hauehave retained the relicks of ſuch ceremonies, or hauehave choſen in a kinde of prepoſterous judgement, rather to correct them, then at once to aboliſh them.
18 Briefly, the ordinary and lawful power, to ordain and abrogate theſe lawes, doth neither depend onelie vppon the will and good liking of the Paſtour alone, nor yet vponupon the judgement of ſome Presbitery onelyonly; but there is alſo required, that heerevnto be adjoyned the conſent and authoritie of the Chriſtian Magiſtrate, togeather with the approbation and allowance of the flocke: who are not indeed, raſhly to diſſent from the judgement of their Paſtors and Elders, beeing grounded vponupon juſt reaſons, which are agreeable vntounto Gods word, that all things may be orderly done in the houſe of God.
19 Now although theſe lawes are not impoſed vpō the conſcience, yet being once eſtabliſhed, no man can with a good conſcience violate them, both by reaſon of offence, and alſo of the contumacie that ſhould ariſe thereof.
We doe therefore condemne, all the open tyranny of the Papiſts, euen in this point alſo.
Now, touching the third part of Eccleſiaſtical juriſdiction, which we ſaid to conſiſt in the lawful and judicial chaſtiſing of offenders: we will deale God-willing, with that point in the Principles following.
Defended by IOHANES GEORGIVS VLRICVS of Tigurine.